Former NCTC Director Kent Alleges FBI Director Patel Blocked Investigation of Foreign Angle in Kirk Assassination

Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent, who resigned March 17 over opposition to U.S. military strikes on Iran, alleged in a March 25 Daily Caller exclusive that FBI Director Kash Patel directly ordered his team to stop investigating a possible foreign intelligence angle in Charlie Kirk's assassination case. Kent said Patel blocked NCTC access to FBI case files over concern that intelligence community review could generate discoverable material for suspected shooter Tyler Robinson's defense team. Kent clarified he does not claim proof of foreign involvement but said leads, including individuals who appeared to post about Kirk's killing before it happened at Utah Valley University in September 2025, were not fully pursued, and that he would testify for the defense if called. Patel had stated on X in September 2025 that the FBI investigation is 'thorough and exhaustive, pursuing every lead to its conclusion'; when the New York Times first reported the Kent-Patel rift in October 2025, an FBI source told Fox News the dispute was 'exaggerated.' Kent is separately under FBI investigation, predating his resignation, for allegedly leaking classified information.